Ohio University mourns the loss of electrical engineering leader

Dr. Charles “Chuck” Alexander, former Stocker visiting professor, passed away on Oct. 17, 2022, at 79 years old. Alexander led a storied career in electrical engineering and academia, beginning his career at Ohio University after being the second person to earn a Ph.D. in electrical engineering at OHIO.

His career in academia quickly advanced. In addition to returning to his alma mater to serve as a Stocker Visiting Professor at the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, Alexander was a faculty member at Youngstown State University, chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering at Tennessee Technological University, acting dean of the College of Engineering at Temple University and dean of Engineering at California State University at Northridge. After holding leadership positions in academia all over the country, Alexander joined Cleveland State University as the Dean of Engineering, returning to his roots in the Cleveland area. Alexander and his wife, Hanna, lived in Cleveland for the past 20 years. 

Simultaneously, Alexander stayed active in IEEE throughout his career. He was a Life Fellow of the IEEE and served as its international president and CEO in 1997. Additionally, he held several leadership positions within IEEE during his more than 50 years of service as a volunteer. This includes serving from 1991 to 1999 on the IEEE Board of Directors.

He authored many publications, including a workbook and a video lecture series, and is coauthor of "Fundamentals of Electric Circuits," "Engineering Skills for Career Success," "Problem Solving Made ALMOST Easy," the fifth edition of the "Standard Handbook of Electronic Engineering," and "Applied Circuit Analysis," all with McGraw-Hill. He authored or coauthored 25 books counting separate editions and foreign translations and made more than 500 paper, professional and technical presentations. 

Alexander received several local, regional, national and international awards for teaching, research and service, including an honorary doctor of engineering degree, Fellow of the IEEE, the IEEE-USA Jim Watson Student Professional Awareness Achievement Award, the IEEE Undergraduate Teaching Award, the Distinguished Professor Award, the Distinguished Engineering Education Achievement Award, the Distinguished Engineering Education Leadership Award, the IEEE Centennial Medal and IEEE/RAB Innovation Award. 

His impact to the electrical engineering community is immeasurable and will continue to be embraced through his legacy of leadership and scholarship.